This is a post from our member Stacy Muetze. 

Watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I couldn't help but notice that Roald Dahl obviously knew the consequences of being a spoilt brat and wasting your money as opposed to being appreciative of what you have and waiting for an amazing opportunity to arise.

Charlie was a child from a misfortunate family. However, the family held high standards of morals, modesty and respect. Although they had very little money and the only bread-winner of the family had just been retrenched, they had their priorities right and made do with what they had. When the chance arose to get inside the Wonka Factory, the family 'invested' what little money they had to take part, with no avail.

Luckily, Charlie happened to stumble across some money in the street one day and he went and bought himself another chance at the major prize. SUCCESS! Charlie won himself a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. A woman then offered Charlie money for the ticket. He had been faced with a decision. He could take the money and help his family get ahead, or he could take the trip of a life time and wait to see the outcome. Good or bad!

His family helped him to understand the difference between quick money and the importance of taking a chance and investing in something more. He decided to take the trip to the Chocolate Factory and the result of taking that risk was far greater than any quick money. From his investing and risk-taking, Charlie received the ultimate prize. He gained more than he or his family could have ever expected The lemon had been worth the squeeze.

My point is: They had no job, no money, no house. Yet when they saw the chance for something more, they jumped at it. Oh what a sad story it could have been had they let life get in the way!

“Oh but we could spend that money on this or that.” or “ We don't have the time, we are busy looking for jobs etc.” Whatever excuses they could have come up with, they put it all to the back of their minds and took the opportunity that had been laid out in front of them. And the story ends, they have everything they could have ever dreamed of and more. All it took was a small investment and a little hard work.

So next time you are faced with an opportunity, open your eyes and take a chance. Put in your all and reap the rewards of success!

LESSON: Don't focus on the price, focus on the prize!